Alex's Incident
by Dr. Michaela Quinn
Summary: Steven tries to help Alex after his suicide attempt. Rated M for serious material
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This idea came from Mccarthy90210 and I dedicate it to them=) Hope you all enjoy it! **

** Present Day**

"Alex?"

"ALEX!"

"Come on Alex, wake up." I heard this mixture of voices in my head. Who were they? Why are they calling me Alex? Or are they talking to somebody else? Where in the world am I? Someone touched my hand. Am I Alex? I heard a woman cry. Don't cry. I wanted to reach out and touch her, but I couldn't move my arm. Finally, I was able to open my eyes. They fluttered at first.

"Alex!" There was a pause. "Steven! He's awake!" I heard shoes squeak on the floor.

"Nurse!" My eyes opened and I saw a tall man in the doorway with a nurse. The person holding my hand was a woman. She had golden blonde hair and her eyes were a sparkling color, but they were wet. She had been crying. Next to her, were two girls. One was tall with long dark hair and the other had blonde hair. She was sitting at the foot of my bed and ran her hand against the blanket. She was upset and looked younger than anybody I'd ever seen.

"Pain." I muttered.

"Shh." The woman rubbed my hand. "Don't talk. You rest." The man walked over with his hands in his pockets. He was trying not to get mad.

"I wonder why you're in pain. You only tried to blow your brains out!" He exclaimed. Obviously, he wasn't doing very well at not getting upset.

"Steven!" The woman exclaimed. He walked over to the other side of the bed. The littler girl on the bed looked up at him.

"Where did you get the gun Alex? We don't have weapons in our home. Where did you get that gun?"

"Mr. Keaton!" The nurse exclaimed. "Come with me." Then they walked out of the room. What's a Keaton?

**3 Weeks Earlier**

"I'm so excited. I've sent in all my college applications. Now I'm just waiting for a reply."

"That's great Alex." Mallory sat on the kitchen counter with an apple.

"Where'd you apply Alex? Harvard? Yale? Stanford?"

"You're just mad Mallory because they won't let you on the Harvard premise."

"Alex, Mallory." Elyse warned them. "Go in the other room."

"I'm excited for you Alex." Jennifer stated.

"Thank you." Jennifer nodded and sipped off her juice box.

"Yeah, I get your room." She walked out.

"This is just great. Is this how my family really feels about my future?" Alex walked off. He just had to wait. He would start college next year and he has been doing as much as he could to ensure he'll get into the school of his choice. He wanted to get into the best economics school in Columbus. He'd do it no matter what he had to do.


	2. Chapter 2

**10 Days Later**

Alex rushed into the room and looked around. Mallory was sitting on the couch and Jennifer was sitting at the table by the door working on her homework. She looked up at him.

"What's the matter Alex?" Jennifer laughed. He looked over at her.

"Has the mail come yet?" Alex asked. Mallory looked over at him.

"Why are you so worried about the mail Alex?" She asked. He glared at her.

"Because we are still looking for the doctor that's willing to do your brain operation," Alex sighed and looked at Jennifer, "so has the mail come or not." Jennifer looked at him.

"Yeah, it's here." Jennifer held up the mail and leafs through it. "Some stuff for mom and dad, Mallory's got a magazine."

"I did?" Mallory jumped up and walked over to her little sister. She grabbed the magazine and flipped through it. "I've been waiting for this issue!" Mallory ran up the stairs. Alex grabbed the rest of the mail and flipped through it.

"Mom, mom, dad, mom, aha!" Alex dropped the rest of the mail on the floor and tore open the envelope. Jennifer stood up.

"Alex?"

"It's my acceptance letter." Alex replied. He sat on the couch and looked at it. His eyes skimmed the letter and then he laid it down on the table. Alex stood up and walked from the couch to the kitchen. He stood at the corner by the kitchen table, put his hand up on the wall and continually smacked his head against his arm. Elyse was sitting at her work station across the kitchen from him. She looked over at him and took off her glasses.

"Alex?" She stood up and walked over to him. She put one hand on the wall and held her glasses at her hip with the other hand. "Alex?" She put her hand on his shoulder. Finally, he laid his head on his arm and looked at her.

"I didn't get in." Alex said.

"What?" Elyse replied. Alex stood up straight and looked at his mother.

"I didn't get in mom."

"Get in?" She asked. Alex sighed loudly.

"College mom!" Alex crossed his arms. "I had the grades, I've had everything to get in. I was in every club that meant something to my future. Why could I have not gotten in? It's the best school in Ohio!" Elyse touched his back with her hand.

"Oh Alex." She hugged him. "I'm sorry." He pulled away and slammed his hand on the counter.

"What did I do wrong mom? What could I have done to keep them from accepting me?! I have done everything right!" He exclaimed and rushed over to the doorway by the pantry. "Next I bet we'll find out that they accepted Mallory!"

"Alex, calm down." Elyse stated. Alex looked at her.

"My whole life was counting on going to that college. What am I going to do?"

"You can go to another school Alex. There are other college's out there."

"No." He interrupted. "My whole career was set up for me to go to THAT school. Now what am I going to do?" He started choking. "I need to get out of here." He loosened his tie. "I need some time to think. I'm going out. I'll be back later."

"Alex!" Elyse hollered as she watched Alex storm out the door. What was he going to do? He can't run away from his problems. He'll have to face them eventually; but right now there isn't anything Elyse could say to change the way he's feeling. Alex was going to have to figure this all out by himself.


	3. Chapter 3

A little while later, Steven walked into the kitchen.

"Hi Elyse." She turned around from the stove.

"Steven!" She exclaimed. "I'm glad to see you." She fell into his arms and he patted her back.

"It's nice to see you too, Elyse."

"No, Alex is missing."

"What?" Steven looked into her eyes. "He's missing?"

"He ran off because he didn't get into the college he wanted to."

"How could he not get in? He was the perfect applicant." He paused. "How'd he find out already?" Elyse shrugged.

"I guess rejections come sooner than acceptance letters. He showed it to me."

"Poor Alex. He must be devastated." Steven responded. He turned around. "Where would he be?" Elyse shrugged.

"I'm not sure right now. He could be anywhere. I don't feel like I know our son anymore." Elyse responded.

"I'll go look for him." Steven said.

'What about dinner? You have to eat Steven." Elyse said. She pulled the hair away from her mouth that stuck to the corner.

"Elyse! Alex is out in the middle of nowhere. We've got to find him."

"Let's go." Elyse walked towards the door. Steven touched her shoulder.

"I think it'd be better if you stayed here with Mallory and Jennifer."

"Mallory can take care of-" Elyse started.

"You need to be here in case he calls or comes home. I'm not sure what state of mind he'll be in. I want to spare you of that." Elyse nodded.

"Alright." Steven kissed her.

'I won't come back without Alex." Elyse nodded. Her eyes started to mist and Steven walked out the door.

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**Meanwhile**

Alex was sitting at the bar.

"Give me the strongest thing you have." Alex said to the bartender. He looked at Alex.

"You twenty-one?" He asked. Alex sighed.

"Just give me the drink." Alex exasperated.

"No way. I could lose my liquor license. Then where would I be?" A guy a few seats down from Alex coughed.

"Give him the drink. I'll pay for it." He slurred.

"I don't care who pays for it. I'm not giving somebody who isn't twenty-one." He raised his voice.

"Fine, give me two beers."

"Are you sure-"

"Give me the beer. I fought in the war. I've earned my right to enjoy a beer." The bartender rolled his eyes, but slid the beer over to the guy after he poured it. "Hey kid." Alex looked over at him. He slid the glass down the bar and Alex stopped it from falling off. Alex took a drink.

"Hey!"

"Look, you gave it to me. Who cares who I give it to?"

"I'll pay you back." Alex coughed. He waved it off.

"Don't worry about it kid." He paused. "You look like you've had a rough day." Alex nodded.

"I didn't get into the college I tried to."

"That stinks man."

'Yeah, I had everything I thought they wanted, but they still rejected me."

"Drink up." He paused. "I'm sorry."

"It's no big deal." Alex replied. He and the drinker continued to talk as they shared beer after beer.

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Steven had driven all over Columbus. He had been everywhere Alex could have gone. He was about to go home when he got an idea. Steven drove past Alex's school for Economics. He drove slowly when he saw something in front of the bar across the street.

"Alex? Is that Alex's car?" Steven said aloud. He parked his car and dashed towards the bar. When he went inside, he found his worst nightmare come true. Alex sat at the bar. "Alex! What are you doing here?" He looked at his father. Alex's eyes were glassy and rolled around.

"Hey." He turned away.

"How'd you get in here?" He paused. "How'd you get a drink Alex?" Steven demanded. "You aren't old enough to buy them!" He looked at the bartender who motioned towards Alex's drinking buddy who was asleep, snoring loudly. "Come on Alex." Steven tried to pick up Alex, while he was of no help getting outside. Eventually, Steven got Alex to his car and drove him home in silence. There wasn't' anything to say right now. Hit wouldn't help trying anyway. He'd talk to Alex in the morning when he was reaping the benefits of his night of drinking. He just hoped Alex would regret it.


	4. Chapter 4

Steven was sitting in bed recanting to Elyse what had happened at the bar.

"I can't believe they even let Alex into the bar." Steven shook his head. Elyse picked up the pillow and held it on her lap.

"They don't have people looking out all the time because it isn't just a bar anymore. We could take Jennifer and Mallory in and nobody would care." Elyse said. He turned and looked at her.

"Well I cared." Steven stood up, threw his pillow on the bed and smacked his hand on the dresser and he stood next to it. "I cared a lot when I saw my son sitting there too drunk to walk for himself and to know that somebody gave him a drink. He's only eighteen Elyse!" Elyse nodded.

"I know that Steven. He's my son too." Steven turned to face her. "I want to know why Alex wanted to go into the bar. He doesn't drink. Alex doesn't even like the idea of touching the stuff and to be DRUNK when you picked him up."

"I felt helpless Elyse. I don't know what to do for Alex; and I'm not sure what I'll do to him, but we have to punish him somehow. He can't get away with something this big." He looked at her. "I know he was upset because he was rejected by the school, but that gave him no reason to do all the things he did tonight. He was disrespectful, rude, and drinking under the legal age." He sighed. "I wonder if would have driven home too!" Steven stated and Elyse nodded.

"I agree. We've got to do something. We'll work on something together." She replied. "His keys! Where are Alex's car keys?" Steven sighed.

"Probably still at the bar. He was so drunk I'm sure that the bartender took them. I wouldn't want to think about Alex driving home that late at night in the condition he was in when I picked him up." Steven put his head in his hand.

"I'm not sure what that man was doing selling alcohol to Alex. Doesn't he know Alex is just a kid?"

"I asked him about that Elyse. He pointed out some guy in the bar who was sleeping."

"What?! So somebody else was buying Alex's drinks?" Elyse sighed. "Not only is he drinking now, but he's a free loader? That is definitely not the son we raised Steven." As she got out of the bed and started to walk towards him there was a loud boom that they heard through the house. "What was that?!" Steven stood there frozen in place.

"It was a gunshot." He replied. Elyse stopped where she was and looked at him.

"Gunshot? Nobody around here has a gun." She responded. Before he could open his mouth, Steven bolted out of his own bedroom and over to his son's room. He tried to open the door, but it was locked. He started pounding on it.

"Alex!" He took a deep breath. "Alex! If you're awake open this door!" Elyse rushed in from her room about the time that Jennifer and Mallory emerged from their bedrooms in bathrobes and matted bed hair all over their faces; evidence of slumber left traces on Jennifer's face.

"What's going on mom?" Jennifer asked as she walked over to her mom. Even for a nine-year-old Jennifer was pretty receptive. Elyse put her arm around her youngest daughter.

"We thought we heard a gunshot." Elyse replied. Jennifer's eyes widened.

"What?" Jennifer asked.

"Alex wouldn't do something like that." Mallory waved it off half asleep. Elyse turned to her daughter.

"What'd you say Mal?"

"Alex wouldn't use a gun; he wants to go to school. He can't go to school and kill himself." Mallory replied. Elyse nodded to herself. That logic did make some sense to her; but she knew that Alex was desperate to try anything because he hadn't been accepted to his college and that's what worried her. Steven walked over and took Elyse away from the girls.

"Elyse, take the girls downstairs-" He started.

"Steven, I want to be here for Alex." She said. He looked at her.

"I don't know what we could find on the other side of that door Elyse! We don't want to startle the girls until we know what we're dealing with. This could be traumatic on all of us." Steven replied. Elyse tried to keep her calm sensible side, but it wasn't working.

"My son could be bleeding to death as we speak and you are talking about the trauma saving him could be on us?" She exclaimed.

"I just think it'd be best if the girls weren't here to see whatever is going on." Steven said. Elyse looked at Steven before she looked over at the girls and then back to Steven. The anger and confusion was resting on her face.

"It's been enough for all of us Steven; let's just get the door open." Elyse said thinking out of her head. Steven went over to the door and pounded on it one more time.

"ALEX!" He shouted. "I'm coming in!" Elyse stepped back and walked right into Jennifer who stood in the hallway not sure what to do. When she realized Jennifer was there, Elyse held her close. Steven backed away from the door and rammed into it once. "Uhhh." He groaned as he fell away from the door.

"Steven!" Elyse screeched out as her husband nearly fell to the ground. He regained his balance before he fell on top of her.

"I'm alright." He nodded. Steven stood up straight and rammed his whole body into Alex's door breaking through it that time. Elyse rushed over to Steven and they stood in the doorway to see the scene that more parents have seen in their lifetime than should have to, but was unfamiliar to them. Their son and oldest child was lying on the floor of his bedroom, bleeding uncontrollably. Steven stood motionless because he was sure what to do. Elyse fell onto the bed with her hands covering her mouth; her shoulders shook as the hot tears fell down her face.

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After a moment or two, Steven turned to see Jennifer and Mallory still in the hallway. Elyse stood up and walked over to Mallory.

"Take Jennifer downstairs and call 911." Elyse said.

"I can't." Mallory whimpered.

"Mallory, you have to take Jennifer downstairs and call 911. Alright?" Elyse touched her shoulders and gripped her elbows until she nodded through the tears.

"Okay." Mallory took Jennifer and walked down the stairs. Elyse walked back over to Steven and cried as she tried to avoid looking at Alex's lifeless body even though she wasn't doing a very good job. Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"What are we going to do?" Elyse asked. Steven couldn't take his eyes off of Alex. He cleared his throat so he would be able to speak.

"Mallory will call 911 and when they get here, they'll take Alex and we'll head to the hospital." Elyse nodded and held onto Steven's arm; but they were both thinking something that neither of them wanted to say. Finally, Elyse had to let it out.

"What happens if he doesn't wake up? What if it's too late?" Elyse asked. That's when Steven broke his gaze on Alex to look at his wife.

"We aren't going to think about that. He'll be in the hospital, they'll take care of him, we'll bring him home and that'll be it." Steven replied. Elyse still looked at him.

"Even if he lives, he could have some serious health issues because of this." Elyse replied. Steven looked back down at Alex.

"Elyse, the longer he lays here, the less and less oxygen gets to his brain. The important thing now is just for him to get help." Steven walked over to the window and could hear a siren blaring as it got louder and closer to the house. Help was on the way.

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"Is Alex going to die?" Jennifer asked. She was sitting on the arm of the couch. Mallory was pacing back and forth in the living room. She was biting her thumb nail when she stopped to look at her sister.

"Don't be stupid. He's going to be fine. We called 911 like mom said to." Mallory said. Her whole body was shaking. She could barely control herself and Jennifer was asking all kinds of crazy questions. "They will be here soon." Then, she heard a siren blaring from outside. "I think that's them."

"I'll help!" Jennifer jumped up and went to rush to the door. Mallory grabbed her and held her in place.

"We can't do anything Jennifer. We need to stay out of their way." Mallory said. She hugged her little sister and watched the firemen burst into the house. They rushed up the stairs and out of the girls' eyesight. As soon as they were upstairs, Mallory and Jennifer went up to see the EMTs and the firemen loading Alex onto a stretcher and taking him carefully, but quickly, out of the room. When the EMTs got out of Alex's bedroom, Steven ran into the bedroom leaving Elyse, Mallory and Jennifer in the hallway.

"Where's dad going?" Jennifer asked looking up. Elyse wiped the hair away from Jennifer's face.

"He's going to get his shoes; we're headed for the hospital." Elyse replied. One of the firemen walked over to her and tried to get a report.

"What happened?" He asked and Elyse looked over at him half dazed. She shook her head to get back in focus.

"I'm not fully sure." She looked at him. "We were lying in bed when we heard a gunshot." The fireman was furiously writing in a tablet.

"Was this your gun? Do you keep guns in the house?"

"Absolutely not." Elyse said as quickly as she got the question. "We are peace makers; we don't like to cause trouble." The guy laughed.

"Apparently somebody does or else we wouldn't be here." He smiled to himself about the joke he'd made. Steven walked back over. By this time he was fully clothed holding his wallet and his keys.

"What do you think his chance is of surviving the blow?"

"I'm not a doctor, but I'd say from the shot that he has a slim chance of surviving." He paused. "Your son is either already gone, or when he gets to the hospital he'll be in a coma and just never wake up."


End file.
